Electrical connector



' Jan. 12,1943. cQ E. WADE ELECTRIC CONNECTOR Filed Oct. 4, 1940 9 NEYS.

Patented Jan. 12, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENTv OFFICE r 2.30am I nmc'rmcu.CONNECTOR v Charles E.Wade, Sturgis, Mich. I Ap uesuon'oetober 4, 1940,Serial in. 359,153 scams. 113-421;)

The present invention relates to electrical con-'- nectors, and inparticular provides improvements upon the structure disclosed andclaimed in ap Serial No. 289,017, filed August 8, 1939, of which thepresent plicant's copending application,

application is a continuation in part.

The principal objects of the present invention are to provide a deviceof the above-mentioned character, which is extremely simple inconstruction, inexpensive of manufacture, and which can be assembled andapplied to the cooperating members in a ready and eflicient manner; toprovide such a structure comprising generally an insulating body, one ormore electrical contacts received within the body, and spring meanscooperating between each contact and the body to improve the holdingrelation between each contact and as associated terminal; to providesuch a construction wher'einthe spring means are integral with eachcontact and bear directly against the wall of the associated opening inthe insulating body; and to generally improve terminal associated withcooperating part.

the construction and arrangement of devices of v the above indicatedcharacter.

with the above, as well as other objects in view, which appear in thefollowing description and in the appended claims, preferred butillustrative embodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanyingdrawing, throughout the several views of which corresponding referencecharacters are used to designate corresponding parts, and in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a connector embody ing the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view-in section, taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view in section, taken along the line 2-4 of- Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an exploded view in perspective, showing the several elementsmaking up the connector;

Fig. 5 is a view in section, taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a developed view of ing the invention.

It will be appreciated from a complete understanding or the presentinvention that the improvements thereof may be embodied in cona contactembodynectors of widely varying constructions and specifically adaptedfor widely differing purposes. By way of illustration, invention isherein disclosed as being specifically designed to form a connectionbetween a plurality of terminals carried by and projecting from the bodyof a vehicle headlamp assembly but not of limitation, the

- of. The lugs event, for example,

and a corresponding plurality of wires. The Q connector may becharacterized as comprising a readily graspable body, which houses oneor I more electric contacts, each contact being permanently secured tothe end of an associated wire, and being formed to provide areceptacleto receive and resiliently grasp a corresponding of generallyrectangular form, having one or more spacing lugs 22, projecting fromthe forward face thereof, and having short circuiting of fiat conductingsurface, and the rim 24 aflords a convenient hand hold.

The body or insulate plurality of contacts 26, which may be andpreterably are formed up by a suitable series of die forming operationsspecifically shown sired number of contacts may be associated with thehousing, depending upon the specific purpose "for which the connector isdesigned, three such contacts being shown in the present construction.Each contact 28 comprises a pair of spaced legs 28 and 30, the outeremlpdrtions 32 and 34, respectively, whereof are notched hereinafterdescribed later, soas to assist in holding the contact via placetherein. The legs .28 and 30 lie in spaced relation to each other andare adapted to receive part of, the corresponding wire 4' leaving the 48of the wire projecting into area 50.- It will be apprebased end portiona smaller grooved ciated that the bared end'portion ably clamped,soldered, or otherwise permanentthe headlamp or other except in thehereinafter.

an axially-and radially extending rim 24 at the rear iace 'there-v 22serve to prevent "inadvertent.

the several contacts, in thethat the device islaid upon a 20 is providedwith a from blanks-oi the form in Fig.6. Obviously, anyde and reversely"turned to form abutments to cooperate with the shoulder 36 in the insu-1 may be suitpart.

The wire receiving portion 44 or the contact is separated from theterminal receiving portion by a bridge constituted by the intermediateparts 52 of the blank, which portions lie in slightly spaced relation toeach other and, as hereinafter I described, cooperate withacorresponding shoulder 54 in the insulating body, so as to limitmovementof the'contactinto the ,body. a!

by the reference character ll. 5 Each opening-ll a I c,so7,s1a lysecured within the. last-mentioned grooved spending bore portion II, andto 'enable' the wire receiving portions M and II to be moved into thecooperating. bore portion 60. As the .contact is advanced into theopening, the abutments constituted by the slightly outwardly flared endsof the 'reversely turned portions 32 and I4 ultimately pass beyond theshoulder 36, at which time the spring-like character of the contactcauses these a The insulator 2t is-provi'ded with' a series 13 identicalopenings, onebeingindividual.to'each'- contact, and all whereoi aredesignated generally abutments to snap to the shoulderengagingpositio'nsshown most clearly in Fig. 2; At this time, al o, the bridgeportion 52 occupies a position. I immediately adjacent the bridge orsaddle l4. with this relation, th'e abutments at the ends of v thereversely turned portions cooperate with the marginal edge whereof isspaced inwardly from the rear face of the insulator by an amountsubshoulder so as to prevent. withdrawal of the @contactirom theinsulator and at the same time the, bridge 52 and the shoulder aflord aposi- .tive further inward movement of the 'fc'ontact into theinsulator.

ment, the reversely turned portions 32 and I4 straddle the guiding ribs2, as will be appreciated.

During this move- The tree width spacing between the rear portions ofthe legs 28 and 30 is such as to maintain stantia'lly equal to the axiallength of the previ ously describedbridge portion 52 of the contact. Inthe present, instance, each bore portion 58 is provided with acounterbore, which defines the previously identified shoulder a, whichshoulderextends completely around thecorrespondingbore- 5 portions- Q Toassist in guiding a terminal 38. into the between the two leg portions2! and 3|v of the associated contact and to prevent the same: from beinginserted into the space between a. reversely turned portion 32 or 34 andthe adjacent wall or the corresponding portion I8, the opposite sidewalloffeach bore portion 58 is provided with a rib 62, which, in thecompletely assembled position ofthe partais receivedin the notchbet'weenthe corresponding two reversely turned, end portions 32 or 30, inthe,relation most ,clearlyshown-inl.

shoulder 36. Yieldablyponstrainthe legs 28" and II to'a normalspacin'gless than the thickness of the cooperating terminal 3!.- Thisspring-like". action is particularlyeflective adjacent the enter-- in:end of each contact, and in accordance with .the-sp'ring-like elements64 at a spacing slightly iii-excess of the width of'the cooperating partof' the bore portion 58. Consequently, during the entering-movement ofthe contact, the spring elements 84 and the rear leg-portions 28 and III are slightly contracted towards each other to anormal spacing slightlyless than the thickness of kthe corresponding terminal "II. Aspreviously mentioned, the free width spacing of the reversely turnedportions 32 and I4 is somewhat in excess 0!, the width oi the boreportion 58, so that when the contact is in the assembled position, theentering ends of the legs and 30 are sprungto a spacing slightly lessthan the spacing of the a ssociated terminal. Accordingly, when a teriminal II is introduced into the contact, it spreads the legs II and itapart; compressing the reversely turned portions 32. and I4 and alsocompressing the present invention, it is proposed to provide a each leg"and 3D with an additional spring-like element 84, 'whichcooperatesbetween the contact and the adjacent wall of the corresponding I boreportion'to yieldingly constrain the rear leg portionsoi each contact toa normal'spacing less than the thickness of the cooperating terminal.

In. the present instance, the additional springlike elements areconstituted by integral flngers,' which extend from the back of theblank and are reve'rsely bent to the positions most clearly shown v p mjgprlng-1ike Portions 84. The legs 28 and 30 As-is described in the'oopending application, each contact 26 is formed of spring-likematerial," vand the reversely turned leg portions as and;

in addition to" engaging overthe cooperating' are consequently caused toyieldably but positively engage the entire terminal area, thus ailordinga good electrical connection and also increasing the w daing relation ofthe abutments relative to the v shoulder it; Withthe terminal 1- inv thefully v inserted position,' also, the previously mentioned 'detent .40engages withinthe corresponding open-- ing' 42 in the terminal, thusreleasably'but posi-fv tively holdingthe terminalinpl'ace... I Althoughonly aspecific embodiment of the invention has been described it will beapprei 'ciated that various'iurther modifications in the scope of theinvention,

What is claimed is: :1. In a device 01' the'class described, thecoinbination of an insulating body {having a pocket therein which opensthrough at least one face of the body and which pocket is provided withshoulder means, a contact received in said pocket Considering now themanner of assembling the individual contacts within the insulator 20 andthe manner in which they are retained in place therein, each contact 261may be introduced into the corresponding opening,. from the rear, byslightly contracting the spacing between the reversely turned portions32 and 34-, so as to enable the spaced legs 28 and 30 to be slid intothe correand provided with a pair ofintegrally interconnected spaced legportions to receive between them a terminal projected into said pocketthrough said opening, said contact being bodily insertable into saidpocket, at least one of said leg portions having'at least two integralspring elements spaced therealong in the direction of movement of saidterminal, certain of said spring elements, being positioned to'engagebehind said shoulder means when the contact is moved into the pocketduring assembly of thecontact and body so as to cooperate in limitingmovement ing less than nected spaced leg portions them a terminalprojected leg portions movement of said body so as to cooperate inlimiting both said spring Q gagebehind tact is moved into the pocketduring to limit movement A ot the contact relative to the shouldermeans,

oi the contact relative to the body-in at least one direction, both saidspring elements cooperating between the contact and the wall of thepocket to bias said leg portions to a normal spacthe thickness or saidterminal.

2. In adevice o bination of an insulating body having a pocket 'thereinwhich opens through at least one face of the body and which pocket is.provided with shoulder means, and provided with a pair of integrallyinterconinto said pocket through said opening, said contact being bodilyinsertable into'said pocket, at least one said having at v elementsspaced therealong in shoulder means when the the pocket during assemblyoi the-contact and a contact received in said pocket to receive betweenleast two integral spring the direction or terminal, certain of saidspring elements being positioned to engage behind said i contact ismoved into movement of f i the class described, the com-- thecontactrelative to the body in one direction;

elements cooperating betweenthe contact and the wall or thepocket tobias said leg portions to a normal spacing less than the thickness ofsaid terminal, said contact havengagingportion spaced'irom said 'ing awire leg portions, and means on said contact between said leg portionsand said'wiie en a n portion with the body to limit movement oi thecontact relative to the body in the other for cooperating direction. I.

3. In a device oi the class described, the combination of an. insulatingbody having a pocket therein which opens through atleast one face or thebody and which pocket is provided with.

tact received in said pocket shoulder means, a co 7 and provided with apair of integrally connected spaced blade-like legs to receive betweenthem a insertable into said pocket, at

3 .leg'shaving at least two integral spring elements a provided thereon1 direction of movement oisaid terminal, certain positioned to enandspaced therealona. in the 0! said spring elements being said shouldermeans when the conassembly oi the contact and body so as body in onedirection, both said spring elements cooperating bespring meanscooperating between said contact recess to bias said legs to within andis concealed by said pocket and said:

of said spring elements being positioned to engage behind said shouldermeans'when the contact is moved into the pocket during assembly oi thecontact and body so as to limit movement of the contact relative to thebody in one direction, bothsaid spring elements cooperating between thecontact and the wall of the pocket to bias said legs to .a normalspacing less. than the thickness of said terminal, said contacthaving-a. wire engaging portion spaced from said legs, and

means on said contact between said legs and said tor cooperatingwith'the oi the contact relative to the body in theother direction.

wire engaging portion body to limit movement 5. In a device of the classdescribed, the combination oi. an insulating body member recessed toaccommodate a contact and having a shoulder Liormed within said recess,a terminal engaging contact positioned in said recess, said contacthaving a terminal-receptacle portion and a wire engaging portion joinedtogether .by an intersaid receptacle portionbeingconstituted by spacedblade-like legs mediate connecting portion,

formed to receive a blade-like terminal between them, said connectingportion being seated upon limit movement oi the contact".

carried by one 0! said shoulder to into said body, spring means said lwsand engaging shoulder means with which said recess is provided to permita snap entry or the contact vent movementoi additional means carriedlegs and spaced from said'first mentioned spring means in the directionof movement taken by a said blade-like terminal said legs,

into the body but to presaid additional'and first mentioned and thewall. of said. a'normal spacing less than the thickness 0! saidterminal. I

6. In a device of the class described, the combination of an insulatingbody having a pocket therein, and a contact received .in said pocket,

said contact having wire holding and terminal receiving portionsarranged side by side within said pocket, said wire holding portionbeing ar ranged to receive an end of a wire projecting into said pocketso that said wire end lies .wholly terminal portion being constituted bya pair or spaced blade-like legs arranged to receive a terminal memberprojected into said pocket 'between the contact and the wall 01 thepocket to bias said legs to a normal spacing'less than the thickness ofsaid terminal. I .4. In a device of the class described, the combinationof an therein which opens through at least one face oi the body andwhich pocket is provided with a contact received in said pocket andprovided with a pair oi integrally connected spaced blade-like legs toreceive between them a blade-like terminal projected into said pocketthrough said opening, said contact being bodily insertable into saidpocket, at least one 015 said legs having at least two integral springelements provided thereon and spaced therealons in the direction oimovement or saidterminal, certain insulating body having a pocket tweensaid legs, said contact part between said portions and said pockethaving a shoulder against which said part seats to.

limit movement of the contact into the pocket, at least one of said legshaving a. pair oi spring elements carried thereby and spaced therealongin the direction of movement taken by said'terminal member whenprojected into said pocket, one 01 said spring therefrom, both of saidspring elements cooperating between the wall of the pocket and thecontact to bias said legs to a normal spacing less than the thickness ofsaid terminal member.

. CHARLES E. WADE.

the contact out of the body, by said. one of said when inserted betweenhaving a connecting elements constituting a yie d-. ing abutment whichpermits snap entry of the contact into the pocket but preventswithdrawal

